ch1-ch20 · 018-ch18

Chapter 18: Test

The training room was about the size of a gymnasium.

Apparently the test would be held here.

"Actually, this morning I was a little panicked because I didn't know when it started."

"I didn't tell you? Hmm, did I explain the start time to Akira-kun? Eh, whatever."

Momose-san laughed it off.

This guy might be surprisingly careless.

"So, Hagane-kun. Do you know what the most important thing for a Hunter is?"

"That would be..."

I froze at the sudden question.

I'm not going to make some lame retort about not even being a Hunter yet. I'll answer based on the assumption that I am one — what's the most important thing.

"Not being consumed by greed, and helping the weak?"

"Hmm. A textbook answer."

Momose-san clapped his hands, looking pleased.

Of course, this is a refined answer for the test, but what I want to do is more or less this.

Even if I become a Hunter, I'm sure I'll never forget the relief work I did in Aoba Town. I just need a minimum amount of money — if it gets used so people who need it can buy what they need, that's enough.

"We of Remnant hold a much simpler philosophy as our slogan. In fact, as long as you follow this one thing, you can do whatever you want otherwise. And that slogan is —"

Momose-san continued with a smile.

"Don't die."

Those words echoed in my head with a strange weight.

Don't die — that really is the most important thing.

If you die, you can't defeat monsters or save people anymore.

"That's why Remnant is made up of members who don't die. That includes both the mental aspect and, of course, the practical aspect."

So in the end, what formed was an independent guild whose members are all S-Rank. Well, S-Rank Hunters aren't the type to die easily.

Momose-san shifted his gaze to Lumiel and continued.

"I understand how incredible this girl's power is. So this time, I want to see your endurance — your defensive power."

To not die, you need defense. That makes sense.

Lumiel was silent for a moment, then gave a small nod.

"Alright then, Shiki-kun. Go all out."

Momose-san patted Shiki-kun's shoulder.

"All out? Are you sure..."

"It wouldn't mean anything otherwise."

Urged on by Momose-san, Shiki-kun stepped forward.

He put some distance between us, then extended his left hand, palm facing our way.

"This isn't how I wanted to do it, but I guess it can't be helped for a test... I'm going to attack you now. Defend against it however you can and survive."

Suddenly, I felt the temperature around us rise.

A ferocious attack was coming — even an amateur like me could tell clearly.

"I'm not good at protecting."

Lumiel murmured quietly.

Her face somehow looked anxious.

I was about to head back to the sidelines, but I stopped myself and returned to her side. If the condition is not dying, I'm probably making the wrong choice here.

"It'll... be fine. If we die, we die together."

If we die, we go together. We're bound by fate.

Actually, if the test content for "not dying" is about defensive power, then everyone who failed must've—

"! I won't let you die. Absolutely."

Lumiel wrapped her silver wings around me as she spoke.

I could feel her magic power rising.

"Are you ready?"

"...Yeah."

"Alright."

In the moment a thin film formed around her wings, creating a translucent barrier — Shiki-kun's surroundings swirled with scorching flames.

The fire spread with enough force to fill the training room. I could see his hair turning bright red.

"Show me you can protect your helpless master! Burn Strike!"

A pillar of flame slammed straight into the barrier.

The fire roared with a tremendous noise, and Lumiel — unusually — twisted her expression as she desperately held on.

I'm not good at protecting — her words flashed through my mind.

Hang in there, Lumiel. You can do it.

"Tornado Strike!"

Shiki-kun brought his right hand together, and his hair color shifted to green. Ferocious wind blades came slashing in.

Fire and wind intertwined, the temperature shooting up. Lumiel's expression grew even more strained.

"How long can you hold out — Lightning Strike!"

This time his hair turned gold, and electricity crackled and sparked around him.

Bundles of lightning visible to the naked eye swirled around Shiki-kun, then shot straight toward us.

A triple attack of fire, wind, and lightning.

I could see cracks forming in Lumiel's barrier — snap, crack.

"Ugh... nghh..."

Seeing her in pain, without thinking, I pulled her into a hug—

"!"

It wasn't like I had some goal in mind. But that embrace changed something inside her.

Her expression sharpened, and the color of the barrier shifted to a faint red — and in that instant, the lightning vanished.

No — it was absorbed.

The moment the lightning touched the barrier, it spread like ripples and was quietly swallowed up.

The fire, too. The wind, too.

All of it.

As if some law of physics had been rewritten.

"Wha—!?"

Shiki-kun's eyes went wide.

The remnants of flame swirling around him, the wind blades still drifting through the air — all of it was swallowed by the barrier, vanishing without a trace.

It wasn't blocked. It was taken.

That's how it looked to me.

"The barrier's nature changed?"

Shiki-kun muttered, his voice tinged with confusion.

Lumiel quietly held her hand out in front of her, then, as if noticing something, gazed at the surface of the barrier.

Light rippled and wavered, and within it, tiny particles of red, green, and gold swirled.

"I can use it..."

Lumiel gently held out her hand, and the lightning particles swirling inside the barrier began to gather in her palm.

Her wings glowed faintly, pulsing with the absorbed magic power.

"Release."

At that single word, the magic power stored inside the barrier was released all at once.

BZAAKKT!!

A lightning strike shot out toward Shiki-kun.

"Wha—!?"

Shiki-kun quickly raised his arm to deploy a wind barrier, but the barrier was shattered in an instant by the massive energy, and the electric blast exploded at his feet.

"...Tch!"

Shiki-kun hurriedly leaped backward.

The aftermath of the explosion scorched the floor, slightly burning the hem of his suit.

"Not bad. Then I'll move to the next stage—"

"That's enough. Stop!"

Momose-san cut in lightly.

Shiki-kun looked unsatisfied but reined in his magic power.

"Lumiel, you okay?"

"Yeah."

Any burns on her wings? No — beautiful as ever.

As I stroked each glossy feather, Lumiel brushed my hand away with her wing and muttered "perv." Perv!?

"Sorry for not holding back. Are you alright?"

"Ah, yes. We seem to be fine."

"Good to hear... I got a little carried away."

Shiki-kun came over, looking concerned.

His skills seemed to be controlling fire, wind, and lightning (with hair color changes too). That's so cool. Even if defense isn't her specialty, the output that overwhelmed Lumiel was something else — S-Rank is no joke...

"Impressive. Not just defending, but giving it the property of absorption."

Momose-san muttered appreciatively.

The power to absorb the enemy's strength and release it in return — far from being bad at it, this could definitely be a weapon.

Momose-san glanced at Lumiel, then turned his gaze back to me.

"To be honest, this test wasn't assigned to Lumiel-kun. Hagane-kun — it was your test."

"Huh, really?"

But I didn't do anything at all...

"You're a summoner — or in your case, maybe a 'descendor' is more fitting — and you endured the attack together with your partner, bound by fate. From the perspective of summoner theory, I'd say you're a rare breed."

"I am?"

"Yep. In fact, I'm a summoner too. Most summoners send their summoned beast to fight while they give orders from a safe location. The combat capability of summoners themselves is generally low."

So Momose-san is a summoner too.

Come to think of it, the way he got to my location so quickly — that might have been his summoned beast's ability too.

But you were different, Momose-san continued.

"A summoner's strength comes from their bond of trust with their summoned beast. If your summoned beast is anxious, you go close and take care of them. That sounds simple, but it's actually difficult — because like I said, summoners have low combat ability. Honestly, it's practically walking into death."

"Yeah. I'm below even an average person..."

"And yet, you not only encouraged her, but pushed her ability up to a whole new level. As a result, you both survived, and since you 'didn't die' — the test is a pass."

I still can't really believe it, but I passed.

"Lumiel, I—!"

"♪"

When I turned to face her, Lumiel leaped into my arms. There was no demand for compensation talk, so was this a normal hug?

"Huh... is the test over already?"

The training room door opened unexpectedly, revealing my sister holding coffee and a bag of sandwiches.

"Yeah, just now."

My sister pressed in close as Momose-san answered.

"Wasn't it supposed to start at 10?"

"Was it? Ah well, the facility tour ended early, so..."

"I wish you'd at least waited for me to get here."

"But you know, it was more like a confirmation than a test, and we recorded it too..."

"That's a separate issue. You didn't even let them have breakfast."

Here, food — my sister handed me the bag.

She bought breakfast for us and got delayed.

I thanked her and took it.

Momose-san looked flustered.

Lumiel tugged at my sister's sleeve.

"Shiki made breakfast."

"Really? As expected from Shiki-kun, thanks!"

"Not at all. Guests can't just open the fridge however they please. It's only natural."

Shiki-kun said with an embarrassed laugh.

Sorry for opening the fridge without permission and starting a fire.

"Huh? Shiki-kun was the one giving the test?"

"Ah, yes ma'am!"

"I see. I wish I could've seen it."

Shiki-kun declared nervously to my downcast sister, "I'll show you! Just say the word!"

I'm starting to understand the power dynamics of this organization.

"But still — they're the heroes of Aoba Town, they participated in relief efforts, and they donated all the items they got. Morally speaking, isn't that a pass?"

"Huh?! Those two are the heroes of Aoba Town?!"

"What did you think you were testing them for..."

Apparently Shiki-kun knew absolutely nothing about our background, and his attitude suddenly changed — eyes sparkling, he grabbed my hand.

"Donating all your items and money — that's not something just anyone can do. You're heroes in both body and spirit. Maeda-san, you're smart. Lumiel-san, you're smart too!"

And so, having reconciled? with Shiki-kun, we managed to get through the test safely.

○○○○○○○

I'd be happy if you could follow, rate, or leave a review, so please do!